Vehicle door receptacle



March 12, 1963 1.. J. THEBERGE vmrcm noon RECEPTACLE Filed Jan. 31, 1961f INVENTOR.

LIONEL J. THEBERGE United States Patent 3,081,126 VEHICLE DOOR RECEPTALELionel J. Theberge, 225 S. Main St., Rochester, NH. Filed Jan. 31, 1961,Ser. No. 86,031 2 Claims. (Cl. 296-37) of the inner of the door panel,and which involves a minimum of cutting of the edge panel of the door.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a vehicle doorreceptacle of the character indicated above,

such as a receptacle for an umbrella, which comprises aremovable tubeinserted through an opening formed in the edge wall of the door andhaving spring catch means,

engaged with the edge wall, for holding the tube in place.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a simple andinexpensive vehicle door assembly of the character indicated above,which is composed of a minimal number of simple and easily manufacturedparts, and which is quickly and easily installable in a hollow door.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention willbe apparent from the following description and the accompanyingdrawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form ofthe invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle door showing a receptacleinstalled therein in accordance with the present invention, andcontaining an umbrella;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the receptacle, per se;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical longitudinal section takenon the line 33 of FIGURE 1; and,

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary vertical transverse section taken on the line4-4 of FIGURE 3.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designatelike parts throughout the several views, a motor vehicle door, generallydesignated 10, is shown, which is hinged in a motor vehicle body doorframe (not shown). The door 10 has an outer side panel 11, an inner sidepanel 12, and a vertical free edge wall 14, which, when the door 10 isin closed position, faces and substantially abuts the free edge wall 12.It will be understood, however, that the present invention is equallyapplicable to any forms of hollow doors having free end walls. The freeedge wall 14 is, in accordance with the present invention, provided, ata suitable location above the bottom wall 15, of the door 10, with acircular opening 16, through which a receptacle 18' is inserted.

The receptacle 18, which, by way of illustration, is shaped toconformably contain a folded umbrella 20, is of elongated tubular formand is tapered from its outer end 22 to its inner end 24, the receptaclebeing somewhat longer than the umbrella 20, so as to provide for theaccommodation of umbrellas of different lengths and girths havingstraight handles 26. The receptacle 10 is preferably made of plasticmaterial.

On the outer end of the receptacle 18 an annular lateral flange 28 isformed, which abuts the outer surface of the door edge wall 14, aroundthe opening 16, the receptacle, at its outer end, being a relativelyclose fit in the opening 16.

The catches 30 are preferably in the form of flat arms 32, fixed to andextending inwardly from the flange 28 and spaced outwardly from thesidewall of the receptacle 18, the arms 32 terminating, at their innerends in laterally outwardly extending longitudinally outwardly bowed camterminals 34. The cam terminals 34 serve to cam the catches toward thereceptacle sidewall 36, as the receptacle is pushed home through theopening 16, so that the arm terminals can pass through the opening, andspring out behind and retainably engage the inner surface of the dooredge wall 14. The cam terminals also serve, upon exer'tion of an outwardpull on the receptacle 18, to cam the cam terminals inwardly toward thereceptacle, so as to enable the receptacle to be removed through theopening 16.

The receptacle sidewall 36 is provided, in its underside, withlongitudinally spaced drain openings 38, whereby water from a Wetumbrella stored in the receptacle 18 can drain from the receptacle andpromote drying of the umbrella.

The general conformance in taper of the receptacle 18 to the taper of afolded umbrella, and the fact that insertion of a folded umbrella in thereceptacle obtains a slight jam fit of the umbrella therein, assuresagainst rattling and shifting of the umbrella in the receptacle.

Although there has been shown and described herein a 7 preferred form ofthe invention, it is to be understood that the invention is notnecessarily confined thereto, and that any change or changes in thestructure of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof arecontemplated as being within the scope of the invention as de-' fined bythe claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a vehicle door having outer and inner side panels, abottom wall, and a vertical free edge wall, said edge wall being formedwith an opening spaced above said bottom wall, a tubular receptaclehaving a sidewall and outer and inner ends, said receptacle beinginserted endwise through said opening and having a lateral flange on itsouter end, said flange being engaged with the outer surface of the edgewall around said opening, and means removably securing the receptacle inplace, comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced spring catchesfixed to and extending inwardly from said flange and extending throughthe opening and engaged behind the edge panel.

2. In combination, a vehicle door having outer and inner side panels, abottom wall, and a vertical free edge wall, said edge wall being formedwith an opening spaced above said bottom wall, a tubular receptaclehaving a sidewall and outer and inner ends, said receptacle beinginserted endwise through said opening and having a lateral flange on itsouter end, said flange being engaged with the outer surface of the edgewall around said opening, and means removably securing the receptacle inplace, comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced spring catchesfixed to and extending inwardly from said flange and extending throughthe opening and engaged behind the edge panel, said catches comprisingarms engaged with the edge of the opening, said arms terminating attheir inner ends in longitudinally and outwardly bowed cam terminalsengaged with the inner surface of the edge wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS640,280 Doerr Jan. 2, 1900 1,740,514 Kimball Dec. 24, 1929 2,140,870Emery Dec. 20, 1938 2,798,445 Gehman July 9, 957

FOREIGN PATENTS 23,283 Great Britain 1894

1. IN COMBINATION, A VEHICLE DOOR HAVING OUTER AND INNER SIDE PANELS, ABOTTOM WALL, AND A VERTICAL FREE EDGE WALL, SAID EDGE WALL BEING FORMEDWITH AN OPENING SPACED ABOVE SAID BOTTOM WALL, A TUBULAR RECEPTACLEHAVING A SIDEWALL AND OUTER AND INNER ENDS, SAID RECEPTACLE BEINGINSERTED ENDWISE THROUGH SAID OPENING AND HAVING A LATERAL FLANGE ON ITSOUTER END, SAID FLANGE BEING ENGAGED WITH THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE EDGEWALL AROUND SAID OPENING, AND MEANS REMOVABLY SECURING THE RECEPTACLE INPLACE, COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED SPRING CATCHESFIXED TO AND EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM SAID FLANGE AND EXTENDING THROUGHTHE OPENING AND ENGAGED BEHIND THE EDGE PANEL.